Coking retort oven



Patented Aug. 23, 1932 srarus ranr JOSEPH VAN AG'KEBEN, OF OHARATOWNSHIP, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA,

ASSIGNOB- TO THE KOPPERS COMPANY OF DELAWARE, A COREORATION 0F DELA- WARE ooxrne RETORT ovniv Application filed January 2, 1929. Serial No. 329,683.

My invention relates to coking retort ovens and particularly to heating systems for highchambered ovens of the horizontal type. f i

It is an object of thepresent invention to provide improved means for heating the coking chambers of horizontal coking retort ovens whereby the coking chambers may be of increased height.

A further object of my invention is to provide a heating system for high-chambered coke ovens of the horizontal type in which primary and secondary combustion is employed and the respective zones of combustion may be supplied with combustible media according as rich gas or lean gas isemployed as fuel.

A further object a of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement whereby additional air or additional air and gas may be supplied to the flame flues of coke ovens at intermediate points therein and in directions parallel to the lines of flow of the gases previously therein.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby additional combustible media may be supplied to flame flues' of coke ovens at intermediate points therein and in such manner as not todisturb the flow of the gases therein or to'direct any of the gases against the side walls of the flues. V

A still further object of my invention is to provide a construction'embodying primary and secondary zones of combustion in which the supply of air or air and gas for the sec-' ondary zone may be transmitted by ducts within the space limits of the usual flame fines.

riorlzontal coking retort ovens'as at pres- 4O ent constructed are provided with coking chambers having a maximum height of approximately thirteen to fourteen feet. The extension of the height of coking chambers of coke-oven batteries as at present constructed involves certain special provisions in order to supply sufiicient gas and air to the heating fines and to prolong the combustion throughout the length of the flues to such uniform degree as would be necessary to effect the u1iiform coking of the coal in a vertical plane.

It is, however, highly desirable that the coking chambers be increased in capacity in order that the products of the ovens may be corresoondin 'l lncreased withouta ro oryri I tional increase in the capital cost and the ex- 5;

pense of operation. Within certain limits, the efi'iciency of the battery and the return on the investment therein is increased by increas- 7 ing the capacity of the ovens.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide additional air or gas at intermediate points of the fines but such arrangements have been either impractical or attended with serious disadvantages. For example, the introduction of the additional gases at an angle to the direction of flow of the gases passing the inlet causes the gases to impinge with the effect of a jet on the opposite wall and to cause local overheating and serious damage to the extent of burning a hole 'in the refractory material of that wall.

he provision of any structure for directing the axial flow of the additional gases and which projects into the path of the flowing burning gases causes a serious disturbance of the direction of flow of the latter. Local overheating is likely to resultfrom such disturbance. Furthermore, such disturbance mixes the gases prematurely and causes combustion of an undue proportionof the gases before they reach the ends of the flues.

I In accordance with the present invention, I provide coke ovens having coking chambers that are of increased height and that are adequately heated by a system that provides substantially uniform temperatures throughout the length of the flame fines; Theheating walls are provided with flameflues in which combustion occurs in two zones. Lean gas may be supplied to one end of each of the sections comprisingthe flame fines and the gases of combustion 01" one of the sections passes into the second section. and dilutes the combustion occurring in the latter section. lVhen rich gas is employed'a's a fuel, it is su plied at one end of the flame flue and addi tional air is supplied at the end of th.e'second section of the flame flue, this arrangement being the equivalent of the addition of lean gas and air simultaneously at the zoo The initial section of the flame flue in which primary combustion occurs is reduced in cross-sectional area and the space taken therefrom is occupied by ducts for transmitting 7 air or air and gas to the secondary zone. This arrangement is of advantage in that the primary combustion occurs in a relatively restricted passageway and the increase in crosssectional area in the second zone permits the introduction of air or air and gas, asthe case may be, without materially increasing the velocity of the gases passing through the flue. j

The additional gases enter the fines in paths that are substantially parallel to those of the gases in the primary zone whereby there is no deflection of the gases from an axial flow and the mixture of the old and the new gases occurs gradually. In addition, the ducts for transmitting the combustible media to the secondary zone are straight and complicated construction and special shapes of bricks are avoided.

The details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section taken successively on lines AA, B-B and CC of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal vertical section of a portion 01 a coke-oven battery taken successively on lines DD and EE of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of a portion of the structure of Fig. 2, taken successively on lines F-F and GG, parts being broken away;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in transverse vertical section of a portion of a heating wall illustrating the relative directions of flow of the gases of the primary Zone and the added combustible media; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but taken at right angles thereto.

A coke-oven battery 1 of the horizontal type constructed in accordance with my invention comprises a foundation 2, upon which are located a series of coke ovens comprising coking chambers 3 that alternate with heating walls 4:. The ovens and their corresponding heating walls may be of any desired or convenient number, only a few of which are shown in the drawings by way of eX- ample. The battery is provided with a roof 5, through which suitable charging openings 6 are provided for each of the coking chambers 3.

Beneath the coking chambers and heating walls are two series of regenerators 7, the regenerators of each series extending transversely half the width of the battery. The regenerators are of the usual checkerwork type and are located between the foundation 2 and brickwork 8 constituting the bottom or floor of the several coking chambers. The

regenerators 7 are separated from each other by means of pillar walls 9 and 10 for respectively supporting the coking chambers 3, together with their contents, and the heating walls 4.

Each of the heating walls 4 is provided with a series of vertical flame flues 12 that extend throughout the height of the wall and each of which is divided into a lower section 13. and an upper section 14, in which primary and secondary combustion occur, respectively. The number of flame flues in each heating wall may be such as desired, twentyeight being shown by way of example in Fig. 2.

The lower section 13 of each of the flame lines 12 is connected at the bottom portion thereof through inclined ducts 15 and 16 to one of the regenerators 7 that are beneath the respective heating walls and adjacent to each other. As best shown in Fig. 2, it will be noted that half of the flame flues 12 of a heating wall 4- are connected to one of the regenerators while the 0th r flame fines are connected to a similar regenerator 7 that is in alinement with the regenerator, mentioned above. The upper section of each flame flue is also connected to the same regenerators by means of inclined ducts 17 and 18 and two vertical ducts 19 that are within the lower section 13 of the flame flue and open into the lower end of the upper section.

The connections'just described are thus employed for supplying the upper and the lower sections of the flame flues with producer gas and air or for conveying products of combustion in accordance with the direction of the gases throughthe heating system.

Each of the flame lines is further provided at its lower end with a duct 21 at the bottom of which is a nozzle 22 that is connected. to a gas gun 23 for supplying rich gas. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the gas guns 23 extend horizontally through the brickwork at the tops of the respective pillar walls 9.

As shown in Figs. 2' and .3, the vertical ducts 19 which connect the upper sections 14 of the flame flues to the regenerator 7 are located upon the inner sides of the respective flame flues 12 in each haltof theheatingwall-l. The ducts 21 and the corresponding nozzles 22 are arranged on the outer sides of the heating flues 4 in each half or the heating wall. In other words, the heating wall is symmetrically arranged with respect to the construction and arrangement of its flame fines and ducts connected thereto.

Each of the flame flues 12 is connected at its upper end through a duct 25 to a horizontal flue 26. Each horizontal flue26 extends half the width of the battery, two of such flues being in alinement and each being connected to fourteen of the vertical flame flues 12. The regulation of the amount of gases passing through the ducts 25 is accomplished by sliding bricks 27 that are located in the bottoms of the horizontal flues 26;

The horizontal flues 26 of adjacent heating walls are connected in pairs by means of crossover flues 29, six such flues being employed for arrangement provides that each pair of heating walls 1s a unit of the heating system ofwall of each pair that are connected by crossover fiues in the manner previously described. For example, it may be assumed that producer gas is supplied through an inclined duct 15 and that air is supplied through an adjacent inclined duct 16 to the lower section 13 of each of the flame flues of half of the heating walls of the battery.

Combustion occurs at the entrance of the gases to the flame flues and the gases of combustion pass upwardly through the relatively small lower section 18. Gas and air are also supplied in a similar manner through the vertical ducts 19 from the same regenerators to the upper sections of the flame flues.

Gas and air from the ducts 19 enter on lines of flow parallel to those of the gases of combustion from the primary zone. Combustion begins at once and continues throughout the secondary zone. Flame conditions adjacent the outlet ends of the ducts 19 are clearly shown in Figs. tand 5.

The secondary combustion occuring in upper sections 14 is diluted by the gases of combustion from the primary zone and combustion occurs throughout substantially the entire length of the upper section 14:. The resulting gases of combustion pass upwardly through the ducts 25 into the horizontal flues 26. The crossover flues 29 transmit the gases of combustion to the horizontal flues 26 of the connected heating wall and they are then distributed by the horizontal fiues 26 and pass downwardly through the various flame flues and ducts connected thereto in directions reverse to those described in connection with the heating wall in which combustion occurs.

The gases of combustion pass downwardly through the several regenerators connected to the heating walls in which downward flow occurs and they are conveyed to the usual stack where they escape to the atmosphere. The regenerators and the heating walls are connected in such manner that air and gas are each passing upwardly through one half of the inflow regenerators while hot gases each pair of heating walls.-. This ducer of combustion are passing downwardly through all of the outflow regenerators. The regenerators are connected in such manner that those conveying air are always inter,- k

between regenerators" carrying progas and those carrying waste gases or products of combustion.

In case rich gas such as coke-oven gas is posed employed as a fuel, gas is .transmitted M through the several gas guns 23 and their connected nozzles 22 and ducts 21to the lower ends of the several flame flues 12. The

regenerators and ducts which conveyed producer gas in the arrangement previously de- 7 scribed are now employed to convey air in addition to those previously carrying air.

However, the quantity of rich gas is such that the air entering the lower end of section 13 is insufiicient to burn all of the gas and partial combustion only occurs during the passage of the gas through the lower section. Additional air is added through the vertical ducts 19- and the remaining fuel gas, diluted by the products of combustion in the priis burned through the section 14 mary zone,

which constitutesthe secondary combustion zone in this arrangement, as in the case of producer gas. When rich gas is employed, the same ducts and regenerators convey waste gases, as previously described in connection with producergas.

In case either lean gas or rich gas is employed in the manner described above, the combustion occurs in such manner that the heating surfaces of the walls are at a substantially uniform temperature throughout their height and the coal in contact therewith is accordingly-coked in a substantially uniform manner in a vertical plane.

By means of the construction described iec its

above, I am enabled to provide means for adequately heating horizontal coking retort ovens of materially greater height than has been possible heretofore with the means previously employed. Material economies are secured by the operation of high-chambered coking retort ovens because the capacityof the battery is increased without a corresponding outlay for construction and operating equipment. The additional cost for labor in the plperation of my improved ovens is very sma The arrangement whereby the incoming currents of air or air and gas at intermediate points of the flame fines are parallel to the lines of flow of gases past the inlets insures that there is no disturbance of the burning gases which might cause damage to the walls I of the lines by reason of overheating or would cause the premature mixing and combustionv of the fuel gas.

,The'result is to provide for the substantially uniform combustion of fuel gas throughout the unusual lengths of the flame fines and under such conditions that the life of the bricks constituting the Walls may be as long as those of coke ovens of present construction.

My improved construction is also advantageous in that substantially no special shapes of brick or unusual constructions are necessary. The flame flues are continuous and the heating surface of the walls is substantially the maximum obtainable.

The foregoing and other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains. My in vention is not to be limited except as expressed in the claims.

I claim as my invention:

lrIn a coking retort oven, a heating wall having vertical flame flues, means for supplying rich gas and air at one end of said flues and additional air at an intermediate portion of said flues and for supplying lean gas and air at said one end of said flues and additional lean gas and air at said intermedi ate portion.

2. In a coking retort oven, a heating Wall having vertical flame flues, regenerators beneath said wall, a plurality of ducts for communicably connecting said regenerators to the lower ends of said flame flues, a plurality of ducts for communicably connecting said regenerator to an intermediate portion of each of said flame flues and means comprising a nozzle for supplying gas to the lower end of each of said flame flues.

3. In a coking retort oven, a heating wall having vertical flame flues therein, each of said flame flues having two superposed portions for primary and secondary combustion, respectively, the portion for secondary combustion being. of larger cross sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the portion for primary combustion, regenerators beneath said heating wall, means comprising a plurality of ducts for communicably c0n nectin said regenerators to the portion for primary combustion at one of the ends of the corresponding flue and a plurality of ducts extending in alinement with the other of said portions for communicably connecting said regenerators thereto.

4. In a coking retort oven, a heating wall comprising flame flues each having two portions for primary and secondary combustion, respectively, and means comprising ducts for separately supplying each of said portions with combustible media, the ducts for supplying the portions for secondary combustion being in alinement therewith.

5. In a coking retort oven, a heating wallcomprising a plurality of vertical flame flues each having two superposed portions of dif-' ferent cross-sectional areas, regenerators belowsaid heating wall, ducts for communicably connecting said regenerators to the lower of said portions which are of smaller cross-sectional areas than the cross-sectional cent thereto.

areas of the upper portions, ducts adjacent the lower portions for communicably connccting said regenerators to the upper portions, said upper portions being in extension of said lower portions and of the ducts. adja- 6. In a coking retort oven, a heating wall having vertical flame flues each having two portions and means comprising regenerators beneath said heating wall and a plurality of ducts connnunicably connected thereto for supplying combustible media to each of the flue portions, the ducts for the upper portions being in al nement therewith and located parallel to the lo'wer portions.

7. In a coking retort oven, a heating wall having vertical flame flues, regenerators beneath said wall, a plurality of ducts for communicably connecting said regenerators to the lower ends of said flame flues, for supplying air or lean gas and air thereto, a plurality of ducts for communicably connecting said rcgenerators to an intermediate portion of each of said flame flues for similarly supplying air or lean gas and air to said intermediate portions, and means comprising a nozzle for supplying rich gas to said lower ends of said flame flues.

8. In a coking retort oven structure, a highchambered oven, heating means therefor comprising continuous flame flues having means at the lower ends thereof for the introduction of gaseous combustible media comprising gas and air, and means for introducing similar combustible media at intermediate portions of said flues in directions substantially parallel to the lines of flow of gases passing therethrough.

9. in a coking retort oven structure, a heating wall having flame flues therein and means for supplying combustible media comprising gas and air at a plurality of portions along the lengths of said flues, said supplying means being adapted to supply media at intermediate portions of said flues on lines subtantially parallel to the axes of said flues.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of December, 1928.

JOSEPH VAN ACKEREN. 

